With today’s signature ceremony, ESA secures the launch of Smile on a Vega-C from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, currently expected for late 2025. Vega-C is Europe’s nimble rocket designed to launch a wide range of missions. It can send up cargo of a mix of shapes and sizes, enhancing Europe’s independent access to space.

“Today marks a major milestone for our innovative Smile mission and signals the determination of all our teams and partners to deliver a successful mission on schedule for maximum scientific benefit,” says ESA Director of Science Prof. Carole Mundell.

Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, adds, “This signature marks over four years of collaborative efforts between Arianespace and ESA Science teams to develop the Smile mission with a Vega-C launcher.”

David Agnolon, Smile Project Manager, explains why Vega-C is a great choice for Smile, “We are delighted to be launching Smile on such a versatile launch vehicle. Vega-C has been selected as it perfectly matches the needs of the mission, such as required mass capability and injection orbit.”